1 Kings, Chapter
17, Verse 13
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Afterwards you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
Anyone can be for the
Lord during the good times; but can you still have a heart of faith and love
during the worst of times. Here Elijah asked the widow of Zarephath to not be
afraid and make a cake for him from the last of her food during the worst
famine in her lifetime. What she did was just that and by her faith Elijah was
able to multipl the oil and flour and later even raises her son back to life.
The lesson here is sin brings suffering fidelity brings nourishment. The power
of Yahweh to take away life and to restore it is here demonstrated, as is
Elijah’s confidence in the Lord.[1]
The Widow’s Generosity[2]
The widow
of Zarephath was challenged by the prophet Elijah to share what little she had,
in spite of her desperate circumstances. Because of this poor woman’s
generosity and goodness, and Elijah’s faithfulness, God strengthened the
prophet’s faith and renewed his capacity for ministry. The Lord used the
prophet to bring consolation and peace of mind and heart to the widow and her
son. Authentic ministry is always
mutual: we set out to help others and we end up being helped and blessed by the
very people we set out to help! The Lord will provide for us, beyond outward
appearances of weakness, failure, fatigue, trepidation and fear. God always
does far more than we can ever ask for or imagine! This striking Old Testament
story forces us to ask some serious questions of our own lives. How have I responded to the needs of those
around us when we've felt that we’ve got little or nothing to give? Do we worry that there will not be enough
for us if we give away our money or our time? Elijah exhorted the widow
with the words, "Do not be afraid." This same admonition is repeated
in the Gospels and was also the refrain of St. John Paul II's long, fruitful,
prophetic Petrine ministry: "Be not afraid!" How does fear affect our lives and keep us from obeying the spirit of
the Lord? Do we cling to those things
that cannot help us, forgetting to trust in the goodness of God? The widow
of Zarephath was generous with Elijah. She gave to the limit of her resources,
and God rewarded both the widow and her son. Do we have that same radical faith and trust? Do we behave as if we are
owners of our talents and resources or simply as if we are God's steward? This
reading causes us to make some firm resolves with our own lives. Let me suggest
a few concrete actions based on this story from the First Book of Kings. It is
important to consider our own willingness to be generous with both material
goods and with our very being. Perhaps this week we can ask God for the grace
to respond charitably to those who ask of us, whether it is a worthwhile
charity or the neighbor, friend or colleague who simply needs to talk and to be
heard. The well-to-do who put money in the treasury were never condemned by
Jesus; he simply pointed out the nature of their contribution. They gave from
their surplus, and thus it did not "cost" them as much to give. Do we have a surplus from which to
contribute? If so, do we use this money in the best way possible? How do we
consider our charitable giving? Are
we concerned with the poor, the sick, the homeless, refugees and those on the
peripheries of society? Do we use our wealth to help create a culture of life?
Or are we more interested in building up our personal security? Perhaps we
can pray this week for wisdom and a spirit of generosity so that we will use
our money to help further the kingdom of God.
Daily
Devotions/Prayers
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